Anti-abortion group raises new questions over Sebelius nomination
Topeka ? An anti-abortion group released a document Wednesday that it said raises new questions about Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ ties to one the few U.S. physicians performing late-term abortions.
Operation Rescue opposes Sebelius’ nomination as secretary of health and human services secretary and hopes to block her confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Sebelius has a long record of supporting abortion rights.
Sebelius’ spokeswoman described the document as only a political “mass mailing” and “really not news.”
But Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, an anti-abortion Republican who has endorsed Sebelius’ HHS nomination, said recent questions about past political support for her from Dr. George Tiller are “very troubling.”
The document released Wednesday was a September 2002 letter signed by Tiller on the stationery of ProKanDo, a political action committee initially affiliated with Tiller’s clinic in Wichita.
In it, Tiller mentions a $200,000 “personal contribution” to the PAC to defeat Sebelius’ Republican opponent in the 2002 governor’s race.
In written answers to senators’ questions, Sebelius initially said she received $12,450 from Tiller between 1994-2001, while serving as Kansas insurance commissioner.
Earlier this week, she amended her answers to note an additional $23,000 in contributions in 2000-2002 from Tiller or his clinic to a PAC she formed as insurance commissioner to help elect Democrats.